HR 2151, the Seizure Awareness and Preparedness Act, creates a federal grant program to support schools in managing epilepsy and seizure disorders among students. It directly affects students with these conditions and their schools by requiring funded training for staff on emergency care plans, individualized health plans, and seizure recognition. Key provisions mandate that schools develop written emergency and health care plans with medical providers and parents, train all staff (including bus drivers) every two years on seizure response, and ensure proper communication between schools and families. The bill allocates $34.5 million over five years (2026-2030) to supplement, not replace, existing school funding for these programs.
The Keeping All Students Safe Act prohibits inappropriate seclusion and restraint in schools, including mechanical, chemical, and certain physical restraints that pose safety risks. It requires schools to use less restrictive interventions first, train staff in crisis intervention, and notify parents within 24 hours of any restraint incident. The law mandates meetings between schools and parents after incidents to discuss prevention strategies and provides documentation requirements. It applies to all public schools receiving federal funding, with specific protections for students with disabilities. States must submit compliance plans and report on restraint use, including demographic data on affected students.
Protecting Students with Disabilities Act This bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate the Department of Education's (ED's) oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (The IDEA authorizes grant programs that support special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities. Currently, the IDEA is administered by the Office of Special Education Programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in ED.) Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate, or otherwise restructure any office within ED that administers or enforces programs under the IDEA. Further, appropriated funds may not be used to (1) terminate, reassign, or alter the responsibilities of any personnel of any such office; or (2) contract with, or delegate to, any entity outside of ED to administer or enforce IDEA programs. (On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities , calling for the closure of ED and giving authority over education to the states. Further, the Trump Administration has announced plans to transfer ED's oversight of services for students with disabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services.)
The IDEA Full Funding Act (HR 2598) mandates specific annual federal funding levels for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), directly affecting schools and students with disabilities nationwide. It requires the federal government to appropriate either a fixed dollar amount or a specified percentage (increasing annually from 4.5% to 40%) of a calculated total - based on the number of eligible students and average per-pupil costs - starting in fiscal year 2026 through 2035. The bill sets clear, escalating funding targets, with the higher of two calculated amounts (dollar figure or percentage) becoming available for obligation each fiscal year. This establishes a binding financial commitment to address long-standing underfunding of special education services under IDEA.
This bill reauthorizes an existing program supporting students with disabilities by requiring the Secretary of Education to reissue a contract for the "Charting My Path for Future Success" project within 90 days. The project trains educators to help students with disabilities set academic and life goals, create action plans, and track progress - directly affecting 1,600 high school students across 62 schools in 13 school districts. Key provisions include continuing the established training model (used by 61 educators since January 2025) and prohibiting contract cancellation without congressional approval. The bill does not create new funding or expand eligibility but ensures the existing initiative continues uninterrupted.
The CHOICE Act creates three education choice programs. It expands DC's scholarship program to allow low-income students to use funds for public or private schools, with specific enrollment requirements. It establishes a parent option program under IDEA, permitting parents of children with disabilities to use public funds for private school education while requiring schools to meet accreditation standards and prohibiting discrimination (with religious exemptions). It also creates a 5-year military scholarship pilot program providing up to $8,000 annually for elementary students and $12,000 for secondary students to attend schools of their parents' choice, with specific eligibility requirements for military dependents living on installations that don't already offer full school options.
This bill creates a federal grant program to help schools recruit and retain paraprofessionals - school support staff like teaching assistants - who work directly with students but lack full teaching credentials. It allocates funds to states based on prior Title I education funding, requiring states to prioritize schools serving high numbers of low-income students or designated "high-need" schools. Funds can be used for mentoring programs, professional development, credentialing (like special education or English learner certificates), and wage increases or bonuses for paraprofessionals. The program mandates annual reporting on wage baselines, paraprofessional numbers, and how funds were used to address shortages.
# Summary of the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
This comprehensive appropriations bill allocates funding for the fiscal year 2026 to the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education, and several related agencies. The bill contains numerous specific funding allocations, restrictions, and procedural requirements.
Key elements include:
1. **Major Funding Areas**:
- HHS receives significant funding for programs including Medicaid, CHIP, Social Security, and public health initiatives
- Education receives substantial funding for student financial assistance, career and technical education, and research
- Related agencies receive funding for programs like the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Social Security Administration
2. **Key Restrictions**:
- Prohibits using funds for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save a woman's life (Section 506-507)
- Bans funding for embryonic research or creation of human embryos for research (Section 508)
- Prohibits funding for advocacy of drug legalization (Section 509)
- Requires transparency in reporting how federal funds are used (Section 505)
- Prohibits using funds for propaganda or political activities (Section 503)
3. **Specific Provisions**:
- Requires detailed reporting to Congress about fund usage (Sections 516-517)
- Mandates notification to Congress before reprogramming funds (Section 514)
- Includes numerous rescission provisions that cancel previously appropriated funds
- Contains specific requirements for managing federal contracts and grants
- Establishes restrictions on using funds for certain types of research or activities
4. **Notable Funding Amounts**:
- $24.6 billion for Student Financial Assistance
- $49.4 billion for the Supplemental Security Income Program
- $14.7 billion for Social Security Administration administrative expenses
- $3.2 billion for Higher Education programs
- $2.1 billion for Career, Technical, and Adult Education
The bill represents a comprehensive funding package with specific constraints on how funds may be used, reflecting ongoing policy debates about government spending priorities in health, education, and social services.
The Sovereign States Education Restoration Act would abolish the U.S. Department of Education and transfer its programs to other federal agencies, including moving student loans (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) to the Treasury, special education to Health and Human Services, and Indian education to the Interior. It would create block grants for states to fund K-12 and postsecondary education, with funding allocated based on student enrollment in each state. States receiving these grants must submit annual data, pass audits, and comply with federal civil rights laws, enforced by the Justice Department. The bill authorizes funding equivalent to the 2019 Department of Education budget, allocating 50% for state block grants and 20% for oversight.
This bill reissues a contract for the "Charting My Path for Future Success" project, which trains educators to help high school students with disabilities set goals, create action plans, and track progress toward post-graduation success. It directly affects students with disabilities in 62 high schools across 13 local districts, where 61 educators currently support 1,600 students. The key mechanism requires the Secretary of Education to continue funding the existing nonprofit project - previously awarded under IDEA - by reissuing its solicitation. The bill ensures the project’s funding cannot be canceled without congressional approval, maintaining continuity for participating students and schools.
